


Trust must be Earned

by TheElemento158



Series: The Order of the Roll [1]
Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-07 17:07:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21461533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheElemento158/pseuds/TheElemento158
Summary: A Great Calamity is threatening a world of magic. A mysterious outsider appears proposing a solution. No one trusts them.
Series: The Order of the Roll [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1547101
Comments: 6
Kudos: 6





	1. A story to tell

Allow me to tell you a story, one that predates our kind and if it were not so we would not exist.

Many eons ago, before our universe and many others existed there were many powerful Orders of magic users. Each specialized in a different aspect of altering reality itself, differentiated by a colour commonly worn by their members: 

The Blues were masters of Summoning, able to summon items and creatures under their control at will.

The Greens were able to alter the strength of their own abilities and those of others, able to make a mouse knock down a building or a cheetah as slow as a snail.

The Reds were masters of Fate, able to succeed in nearly everything they tried, or cause others to fail.

The Whites could destroy practically anything they wished, varying in size of small creatures to the largest of empires.

The Yellows were masters of Elemental energy, and not just the four that are familiar to you and me, but all types of energy, from the basics of Hot and Cold, to the monstrous power of Omn’is.

The Purples were masters of change, applying anything to everything, from making their meals a tad more palatable, to turning entire systems into fire with a wave of their hands.

The Blacks were the Creators, differing from the Blues in that Blacks could create something from nothing, while the Blues could only summon what already existed.

Finally, there are The Oranges, keeping the other Orders in check through their proficiency in Balance and the keeping thereof.

It was these Eight Disciplines that formed the Council of Magics, the first and greatest magic coalition located at the edge of the Multiverse.

Here, is where our tale begins.


	2. Proposal

“It is too dangerous, impossible even!”

These words came from K’leh, the Grand High Mage of the Council. A tall, thin man of pale complexion from the Orange Order, yet his eyes and demeanor showed a strength that far surpassed his ancient, frail body.  
  
“If we don’t, the Orders and everything we know will cease to exist!”

The person who K’leh was speaking to, was Phe’ta of the Yellow Order. Apparently they were a well-respected Mage within the Yellows. “If I could get just a few Mages from each of the Orders, I could stop the Calamity before it reaches us!”  
  
“You will do no such thing!” K’leh bellowed. “You know that when our magics mix, it becomes unpredictable! Two Disciplines alone may have some degree of predictability, but all eight?! A union of that magnitude would be more likely to cause a SECOND Calamity, and much closer to our home!”  
  
K’leh motioned with his staff, causing the air to take a cold turn, frost tingling on our bodies. I never could fully understand Orange magic, it seemed so counter-intuitive. Then again, that’s what every Mage says about the other magics.  
  
“Actually, we at the Yellow Order have been studying what happens when two magics mix and it seems that-”  
  
“YOU WHAT??” These words came from the entire High Council, including the Head of Yellow, almost in unison.  
  
“Do you want to endanger us all?” the White High Mage proclaimed, which is surprising, seeing as their whole schtick is destruction and all. “The Calamity was likely caused by your experiments!”  
  
“I assure you, it wasn’t, I had begun my experiments after the Calamity appeared and Yellow’s attempts had failed to stop it. And before you get upset at my endangering of Mages, I didn’t ask Mages to do it.” At this, the Council was shocked, after all, they were the only ones they knew of who had even heard of magic, let alone perform it.

“I owe my research to my friend here-” That’s my cue. I walk out of the shadows where I was told to wait until I was needed. “This person, who wishes to only be addressed as Stranger, approached me after Yellow’s attempts to dispel the Calamity had failed. They told me that the only way to get rid of the Calamity was to take all the magic Disciplines and use them together.”  
  
“And what makes this Stranger so qualified to tell us how do use magic?” K’leh inquired. At this, I waved my hand and the air became burning hot, the lighting in the room reversed, light becoming shadow and shadow turning to blinding light, giving the room a strange illumination as the ground shook and softened as large metal spheres from nowhere bounced on its surface. As quickly as it began, it stopped and the room returned to its original state.  
  
“They can use mixed magic?!” The Council proclaimed.  
  
Phe’ta explained, “With their help, I have found that our magic can be mixed, but it needs to be channeled through an object of some kind. Stranger says they brought highly enchantable stones to imbue in an incredibly complicated ritual requiring 8 highly skilled Mages from each Discipline. All I ask is that I am granted permission to gather the Mages and collect the supplies for the ritual.”  
  
The Council looked at one another, appearing to communicate through looks and shrugs, before K’leh spoke. “We require some time to discuss. We will return shortly with our answer. In the meantime, you and your friend must wait outside.”


	3. Debate

“We cannot go through with this!” K’leh shouted. “The Calamity is already unstable, the absurd notion to channel more magical energy into it could mean the end of us sooner than we had originally anticipated!”  
  
“But what other options do we have? Everything we’ve tried, has failed! Why would we sit here waiting for our demise, when we could try to do something and maybe have a chance?! A slim chance, but a chance nonetheless that we can survive and continue our studies like we always have.” Yel’toh asked, waving his arms frantically as the green trails on his sleeves attempted to mimic the movement.

He had a point, action was better than waiting, but what if Stranger was wrong? What if it hastened our doom rather than prevent it? I opened my mouth to voice my concerns to the rest of the Council when someone else spoke up.

A pinging sound rang through the room and we turned to look toward Azæla. The short woman in blue robes waved her arms and her fingers danced as blue energy sparked between her fingers and lingered in the air, spelling out the words she wanted to say.  
  
“<Stranger has shown us a feat we previously thought was impossible, and shown one of our best and most level-headed researchers a piece of what can be possible through their methods. Phe’ta might be young, but they are not someone who rushes in without thinking. I’m not suggesting we should go through with this completely, but allowing them to prepare and gather support in the event we have no other choice can’t hurt.>”

K’leh appeared to be unmoved by Azæla’s speech, his expression hard and unflinching. The other Council members, however, turned to discuss with their neighbor about whether or not it was a good idea.  
  
“It’s true that Stranger has shown us something we haven’t seen before, but does that really mean we should trust them?” Yel’toh voiced.  
  
“We shouldn’t be so quick to draw assumptions, we have no other options and as much as I dislike it, it would be nice to have a plan B if we can’t find a plan A.” Dervant said.  
  
“This person shows up out of nowhere, shows off and thinks that they know enough about the Calamity to have the audacity to conveniently propose a solution that looks to good to be true? I’d rather tear White Tower to the ground than trust them!” Fel-oh exclaimed, banging her strong, white-draped fist onto the table.  
  
“I can’t believe that Phe’ta conducted unauthorized research into unknown applications of magic during this time of crisis! Don’t they know that an energetic imbalance could mean our doom?” Lohy frantically muttered under her breath, yellow hood drooped low over her face.  
  
K’leh turned towards me, his fierce eyes looking as if they were trying to burrow into my very soul. I swallowed.

Warlet called for the attention of the other members with a crack of black energy swiftly replaced by a bright light that gently fell on everyone as small pinpricks on the air.  
  
Apart from a short yelp from Yel’toh, the Council fell silent.  
  
“Razmus, you’ve been awfully silent, what are your thoughts on this matter? You may be the newest member of the Council, but your knowledge of Red magic gives merit to your opinion on how we should move forward.” Warlet said.  
  
I looked around the table, the normally very spacious Council Room suddenly felt very small as I saw all eyes on me and all ears listening intently.  
  
“Well, I think you all have valid concerns. It’s true, we don’t know Stranger's intentions. We don’t have any other ideas on how to save our world, and although Red magic has the ability to influence the future, our efforts are going nowhere fast with no signs of progress of any kind. A backup plan is not a terrible idea if things turn out for the worst, but I don’t think we should rush into something we don’t understand. If what Stranger says is true, then we may have a chance. I can’t speak for all the Orders, but I, and the rest of the Reds, are going to need more assurance that their theory can not only work, but succeed. I suggest that we grant them the ability to meet with the Orders, to gather volunteers, materials, as well as support from the rest of the members. If they can gain the support from every faction, then we will go through with the ritual that may or may not save our lives. All of this will hinge on the condition that as long as one Order refuses to assist, then the ritual will never reach completion.”

K’leh’s gaze turned towards the rest of the Council. “Seems fair to me, we’ll strike an agreement with Phe’ta and the Stranger with the conditions you suggested, Razmus. The ritual will not be carried out unless all the conditions are fulfilled.” He said with a rather large smile. “Any objections?”  
  
The Council stayed silent.  
  
“Very well then, let’s tell them the good news, shall we?”


	4. Meeting

I pace back and forth waiting for the Council’s verdict. If they approve of Stranger’s plan, we could stop the Calamity in its tracks in a week or two, tops. If they refuse it, we might as well charge headfirst into the Calamity like the first White Mages did.

Stranger was sitting on the steps, flipping a sharp instrument with a long spindly end through the air. “There’s nothing to worry about, either the Council approves it, or we die, no two ways about it.”

Easy for them to say, they could probably take the Council on by themselves.

I remember the day the Calamity appeared.

It came seemingly from nowhere, first materializing on the edges of the world, writhing and reaching with an insane unpredictability with its movements, twisting into abstract shapes and flashing in so many different colours it’s no wonder High Mage K’leh thought that a union of the 8 would cause another one. Anything it touched was unrecoverable, removed from existence. Most wounds were fatal. Not even the best Mages could use their magics to heal a Calamitous injury, with whatever you lost, lost forever.

It would’ve been easier to deal with if it was only in one place.

Soon more _ anomalies _ appeared throughout the Outskirts, and with each that appeared, the others grew. They grew until they completely surrounded our cities and the Citadel at the center.

Every Order had attempted in turn to destroy or subvert our world’s destruction. The Blues attempted to “reverse-summon” it? I think they called it Dashening it or something like that. It didn’t work. The Calamity somehow fed off their energy and grew larger, almost as if it was using their own magic against them, seemingly summoning more of itself from nothing.

The Whites had tried next, gods, they have no self-preservation at all. They wreathed themselves in White Magic and ran headlong into the Calamity like living bombs of destruction. They barely made a dent and the High Mages of the Council had to practically fight them back to prevent the White Order’s extinction before it went too far.

The Greens tried to diminish its power, the Purples tried to change its nature, all attempts failed. I was among the last ones asked to contain it in a last-ditch effort by the Yellows.

We had found an isolated clump of Calamity, away from the larger mass and more importantly, away from civilization and mostly inert. We had surrounded it, Yellow streams of magic encompassing it as we tried to seal it. At first it seemed to work. Our magic had solidified into a massive dome, then something about it changed. The usually near-indestructible seal shattered close by to one of the less-experienced mages, with most of the shards swallowed up by the clump we had almost succeeded in containing. We weren’t even aware our magic could form shards like that, as it was mostly used for transmutation of different energies, or containment of such, like we were attempting with the Calamity. Some of the mass reached out over the hole, arched down and barely grazed the younger mage, but like I said before, anything the Calamity touches, ceases to exist, and it was no different in this case as they were split in two right down the middle.

Panic ensued.

Everyone rapidly attempted to get away from the mass, some running, some flying, some poor souls froze in place and were quickly picked off first. I say first, but everyone was picked off. Some were snatched out of the sky and fell into the anomaly, somehow the mages who ran existed long enough for the Calamity to pick them up and drop them inside. I might’ve been destroyed as well, I was in awe of how _ hungry _ it seemed, almost like it was _ alive _, looking for its next meal when moments before it practically slept. I remember it starting to reach for me, with a strange smoky, yet solid tendril, then it suddenly snapped back as the nearly-broken shell we created went flying off, with the mass of Calamity still contained inside it and launched into the larger mass encompassing the world.

I was amazed that someone had survived and had enough quick-thinking to save me, but as I looked around, there was no one in mage’s colours left.

I was the only one of the group to survive. But I wasn’t alone.

Standing off to the side, arms outstretched towards the spot where the mass of Calamity we had failed to contain was just moments before, was someone I didn’t recognize. Their face was hidden behind a dark glass mask of some kind, with a brown hood pulled over their head, their limbs and body wrapped in tattered strips of fabric with many metal instruments I had never seen before tucked in on various belts around their person.

“T-thank you. You saved me.” I said, after I had taken in what had happened

“That’s obvious, what in the goddamn hell were you doing??” They said, their voice echoing slightly through their mask.

“We were trying to contain it, see if we could keep it from spreading further, I was entranced after it broke free and- Hey! Wait a minute, who are you and what were _ you _ doing out here?”

“I was passing through, and I saw you staring like a deer in headlights at that thing, so I thought I’d intervene, you’re welcome.”

“That didn’t answer who you are.”

“Who I am isn’t important right now, I’m trying to figure out where I am.” The cloaked figure looked around at this, high and low, trying to get their bearings.

“You’re on the Outskirts, not too far from Gem’bil, the Red city.” I motioned in a direction where we could see tall red buildings as mere pinpricks.

“Oh great, another flat world, it’s going to take me forever to get out of this one- wait. What do you mean by the Red city?” They turned to look at me, their posture leaning in towards me, the mask inches from my face, their hands covered in wraps of fabric grasping my upper arms as if hoping that my answer was one they wanted to hear.

“Uh… the city populated mostly by Red mages? The mages that are masters of fate? One of the 8 Magic Orders?”

At this, my saviour knelt to the ground, laughter echoing from their mask as they shook their head in relief.

“It’s been so long....” I heard them mumble to themselves. Were they crying?

After a moment, they stood up, arm outstretched in greeting.

“You can call me Stranger, and I might have a solution to your problem.”

I tentatively shook their hand. “I’m Phe’ta of the Yellow Order, and gods I hope so.”

A knock at the large doors brought me back to the present.

“The Council is ready now.” A round-faced attendant said.

I looked at Stranger and they stood up from the stairs where they were sitting, brown clothes swaying behind them as they turned towards the door, putting away the instrument in one of their many pockets, mask glinting in the light.

“Well then,” They said. “Let’s see if we’ll die or not.”


End file.
